CROWN
by Culper Sr
Summary: Naruto saved the world and several years later has achieved his lifelong dream. Having been Hokage for just a couple days, the Seventh is still taking it all in. One-shot A lil NaruIno but focused moreso on his bonds with people in general and his new status.
**CROWN**

 ** _A/N:_** **Yo, yo just a one-shot today (although I got a nice chunk of my next Deviance update done and a word or two or three on Re-Alignment and a little something I got stashed away that ain't getting posted for awhile) Hope ya enjoy, not much to really say.**

Naruto Uzumaki, stood alone on top the Hokage tower. Scratch that, _his_ tower. The sunset was remarkable, blessing the village with its beauty as shinobi and 'civies' alike prepared for the night. Afternoon shift workers heading home to their families for dinner or to restaurants, being replaced by the night owls in establishments that could afford to stay open until late.

At this point, most teams of shinobi were done for the day. Teams (especially Genin) made their retreat from the training grounds, bonding with one another after a long and hard day of work. Many of them would now eat out together and joke around and whatnot, just as he had done with Sakura and Sasuke back in the day.

A small smile touched the new Hokage's lips at the thought of those times. Sakura would try to get Sasuke's attention, which would make Naruto jealous and he would say something that pissed Sasuke off who would call him and idiot and provoke a verbal dual between them; somewhere along the way Naruto would usually feel inclined to restate that he would become Hokage someday…

"How does it feel boss?"

Naruto blinked, and turned around to see his old friend, "Konohamaru, you're back."

"Yup, what did you think was going to happen? It was just a C-rank," The young Chunin curtly replied, joining the Hokage's side to watch over the people.

"Sorry I missed it," Konohamaru backtracked, "But you know… It wasn't really my choice."

Naruto chuckled, "It's all right, I know. It was just a formality anyway, we've all known for awhile now that Kakashi-sensei was going to pass the torch to me."

A few moments passed before Konohamaru restated the initial question, "So? How does it feel?"

Naruto smirked and shut his eyes, "Indescribable…"

"That's the best you can do to make me understand how you feel about accomplishing our shared dream?" Konohamaru deadpanned.

Laughing, Lord Seventh sheepishly scratched the back of his head, "Sorry, it's just not simple."

"I feel… Accomplished, proud, excited… It's amazing! This is what everything I've ever done was aimed at… And now that I have it, I don't know— It's surreal, ya know? I remember when I was just a bratty kid that just graduated and taught you the sexy jutsu…"

Konohamaru chuckled at the memory, "Leave it to you to bring something like that up in a serious conversation…"

"As much as I'm trying to enjoy myself and these early moments while they last… I can't pretend it isn't coupled with stress too. _I'm_ responsible for all of them," Naruto gestured the people below, " _I'm_ responsible for keeping this village safe and strong and preserving the peace as long as I can…"

Konohamaru slapped a hand on his shoulder encouragingly, "You've got it under control, come on! You have great relationships with all the Kage's and you already saved the world once!"

"I know…" Naruto accepted the praise as if it were no big deal, "The crown is heavy Konohamaru… If I ever decide to retire and pass it onto you, you'll understand."

"NARUTO!" A loud, boisterous and perhaps even annoying shout came as a third person joined them on the roof, with a fourth trailing her being an irritated Shikamaru that looked like he was going to resign from his troublesome new position on the second day since obtaining it.

"Before such thoughts could begin processing in the Nara's head, Naruto took action, "Shika… Go home and get some rest. I'm sure Temari's waiting for you," He winked with a smirk at his old friend from the rookie nine.

"Troublesome Hokage…" But Shikamaru obeyed, chuckling lightly before vanishing via shunshin, leaving Naruto to deal with the unexpected visitor.

"What can I do for you…? Crazy Snake Lady?" Lord Seventh smirked. Despite obtaining the position of his dreams, he chose not to discard the nicknames he had for various people… No matter how unprofessional some of them were.

Konohamaru snickered at the glaring Anko, "Brat, if you weren't Hokage I'd—"

"Feed my testicals to a python? Yeah, I kinda figured. Why're you here? I'm done working for the day, if I don't go home soon my wife's gonna kill me."

"According to Shikamaru, he's whipped,"

"Thanks Konohamaru," Naruto deadpanned, "But of course he'd say that… He's the one person outside of her family that might actually be able to argue that he knows her better. If you ask him about her, she's the 'most troublesome woman in existence."

"I'll make it quick, I promise!"

"All right," Naruto sighed, "Shoot."

"I want you to order Kakashi to take off his mask in public!"

"Not happening…"

"Why not?! I thought you were just as interested in seeing?"

Naruto shrugged, "I still am, but not enough for all the paperwork it would take to organize," He shuddered, "And if I ask Shika he'd bitch about how much work it was for something almost no one in the village actually cares about but you, Sakura and I. Oh and by the way, he's kinda the Sixth Hokage."

Anko made a fake sob, "Little boy grows up, becomes Hokage, ceases to be fun anymore."

Naruto shot the Jonin a threatening look, "Yeah well you can cease with the 'little boy' stuff or I'll give you a 'diplomatic' assignment to have tea with Orochimaru and discuss things you don't give a shit about."

"You wouldn't!"

"I would," The Uzumaki snapped his fingers as if realizing something, "Damn it, I should've kept Shika around… He ought to know if there are any more available slots for Jonin senseis for this coming fall…"

"I-I," Anko gasped, "Have a good night Lord Seventh," She bowed respectfully and scampered off.

Konohamaru almost fell over, "Wow… I just witnessed Anko Mitarashi bowing and using manners…"

"And my actual title," Naruto gloated and his shocked companion finally managed to find the sense in him to laugh.

"Goodnight old friend, I've gotta run… I was serious when I said she'll kill me if I keep wasting time."

"All right, see ya boss!"

Naruto shook his head; _He still calls me that… Although, I guess I technically am now, huh?_

* * *

"I miss him too," Naruto stated, making his presence known to the Hyuga bent over placing a flower for her cousin's grave.

"Oh… H-Hello Lord Hokage," The sad kunoichi smiled warmly at him.

"Hinata… You're not allowed to call me that," He replied cheekily, he didn't like his friends from the Konoha twelve referring to him by titles.

"Were you looking for me?" She asked, hoping nothing bad happened but also wondering if it was just a quick social call before he went home… Hokage's didn't have a lot of time on their hands after all.

"Nah… Just felt like dropping by to visit Neji. I haven't been here in awhile…"

Hinata's eyes returned to the tombstone, "I wish he could've been here to see you become Hokage. He would've been proud to serve under you."

"He was a hell of a ninja… And one of the best comrades I've ever had," Naruto agreed with conviction in his voice, "Considering how he was when I first met him… It really says a lot about what kind of person he really was deep down."

Hinata nodded, "I bet you he would've been one of your ANBU captains if he were still among us."

Naruto smiled, "The top ANBU captain…" He agreed, "Hey, I've gotta go. It's getting late I should be home by now."

"Of course… Say hello to Ino for me," Hinata politely bid him farewell.

"Later!" The Hokage said in return, which left Hinata behind to laugh to herself. At least Naruto wasn't letting the hat change who he was, not that there was ever any doubt on that front.

* * *

Naruto ventured through the darkness of his bedroom confusedly, it was like she wasn't home. The sun had yet to fully set still, and she was the type to stay up until the early morning most of the time, yet there wasn't a trace of—

Just as the muddled Seventh was beginning to get suspicious, he was assaulted from behind by a forceful but loving touch. He felt lips connect with his neck and a tongue drag across it, her arms crossed over one another around his chest as she dragged him over to the bed and tackled him. She repositioned herself so that she was hovering over him as he rolled over so that his back was to the mattress and he could meet her face to face.

"Miss me huh Ino?"

Although he couldn't really see her since he didn't turn the lights on and it was almost dark out, he could make out her features well enough to see the platinum blonde's smirk as she shrugged lazily, "Not really," She lied, "I just thought you would appreciate an effort on my part to provide you some excitement after all that paperwork," She teased.

Naruto couldn't help but laugh as he thought of how he sent Shika home and made a suggestive joke about Temari… Guess the jokes on him now, eh?

"What?" She demanded, "What's so funny!"

"Nothing," He claimed, "I just find it hilarious that you do this to me right after I picked on Shikamaru when I sent him back to Temari."

"Leave lazy-ass alone, you're torturing him enough as it is with such a high profile position."

"Yeah, yeah, troublesome I know…" Naruto replied sarcastically as the woman giggled and decided to stop hovering over his form and just relax on top of him.

"How was your day? No wait! Let me guess it was wonderful right? You sat around in an office all day giving people missions and doing paperwork! Yay!"

Naruto scoffed, "You know I would happily take a mission if the elders would get off my ass. When I get my way, we'll take one together."

"Only you would call that a date…"

"You're the one who keeps complaining about going out for ramen, not me Ino."

She laughed and had to concede to that point, "Okay you got me there… Who else would go with us?"

"Well I doubt I could take a mission with Shikamaru unless I somehow convinced all those old status-quo fuckers to retire… So probably Chouji and either Sakura or Sasuke."

"If we put it off for ten years those people will die of old age," She suggested.

Naruto stared at her deadpanned, "Since when do I have the patience for a decade's wait? I don't even like the three minutes it takes to cook instant ramen…"

Ino huffed with amusement, "You're hopeless, I fear for Konoha's future," She joked.

Naruto planted a kiss on her lips which she returned without consideration, and he spoke up when they broke off, "Well that's too bad… Cause I've finally got the hat and I ain't giving it up for quite some time."

"How old were you when you decided to become Hokage again?" She asked, not remembering off hand.

"Six."

"Hm, took you sixteen years to achieve; so I guess I'll let you keep the crown for eight years… Then you're retiring and spoiling me rotten…" She informed him matter-of-factly.

"Do you want that in writing? I can send a shadow clone to drag Shika back to the tower…"

Ino giggled, "Thank you but I don't think so… If your clone gets dispelled and you receive any unwanted visions it might ruin my _fun_ tonight."

The two of them just looked into each other's eyes and laughed.

 ** _A/N:_** **Just felt like writing something as a standalone tonight and wound up going with a lil reflective Naruto completes his dream drabble. Let me know whatcha think ;)**


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